Match-scratcher



W. P. HALL.

' MATCH SCRATCHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-15,1919.

Patented July 27, 1920.

' Inueni'ar W J? Hall. 7

UNITED STATES PATENT cri ics.

MATcH-scRArcHEn.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,807.

f0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM P. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Falls, in the county of Randolph and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matclrscratchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to match scratchers and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved match scratcher which can be readily attached to the garment of the wearer so as to permit convenient scratching of matches and to obviate the necessity of scratching matches on the garment.

A further object of, the invention is to provide a match scratcher embodying an improved means det-achably connecting the same to a garment having means for guiding the match head over the roughened portion of the scratcher during striking movement of the match.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved match scratcher of the above character, which is durable and eiiicient in use, one that is simple and easy to manufacture, and one that can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will.

. behereinatter more fully described, claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawin s, forming a part thereof, in which:

igure 1 is a front elevation of the improved match scratcher showing the same in operative position on a garment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the device applied to a garment.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-'3 of Fig. 2.

Fi 4 is a detail ers ective view of the striker attaching clip. 4

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the guard plate and guide for the match head.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 generally indicates the improved scratcher which includes the scratcher plate 2 and the guard or guide member. 3.

The match scratcher plate is of substantially flat rectangular formation and has one face thereof transversely serrated so as to form a roughened portion upon which the match is adapted to be struck. The upper end of the plate is continued and bent Patented July apiece;-

back upon itself as at (3 to form a clip which is adapted to engage a garment to hold the device against accidental displacement. The

clip 6 is bent inwardly toward the plate as at 7 and owing to the inherent resiliency of the metal forms a tight grip upon the garment and prevents accidental displacement of the device. The lower end of the clip 6 is bent outwardly as at 8, so as to form means for facilitating the positioning of the device on a garment. As clearly shown in =l igs. 1 and 2, the device is adapted to be applied to the pocket of a garment such as the vest or the like, but it is to be understood that the same can be placed in any position desired, such as on the belt of the wearer or the like.

The guard or guide element 3 is formed from a single strip of resilient metal and includes the fiat body plate 9 having its side longitudinal edges curved upwardly and inwardly as at 10 so as to overlie the plate 9. The members 10, owing to the inherent resiliency of the metal, form means for frictionally engaging and gripping the plate 2 so as to prevent accidental displacement thereof in relation to the guide. The lower edge of the guide has an upwardly extending extension 11 which forms the lower wall of the device which is adapted to engage the lower edge of the scratcher plate to hold the same against downward move ment in relation to the guard.

- From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved and simple match scratcher is provided, which can be readily attached to a garment to permit of the convenient and easy scratching of matches and entirely obviates the necessity of scratching the matches upon a garment and thus ruining the same.

t will be seen that the resilient members it) perform a twofold function, namely, for engagingthe outer surface the sci-atelier plate at to preventdisplacement of the guide in relation to the scratcher plate and for forming guard strips for guiding the match head in it's scratching movement.

It can be seen that the guard or guides can be readily removed from the scratching plate 4: when desired so as to permit of the scratching plate being cleaned when the same has become dirty and the teeth clogged from excessive use.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention as set forth.

Vhat'l claim as new is:

A match scratcher comprising a plate having one face thereof roughened a depending resilient arm formed on the upper edge of the plate, a guide member detachably associated with said plate including a .body member, an inwardly projecting overlying resillent dog formed on each long1- tudinal edge of said member and arranged to engage the roughened face of the plate to hold the guide member against accidental displacement and to guide the head of the match during the scratching movement thereof, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature.

WILLIAM PENN HALL. 

